Mobile Audio Hub

Sony has announced the WF-C500 as its latest affordable wireless earbuds. They feature many of the OEM's audio-enhancement properties and technologies, although active noise cancellation (ANC) is not among them. However, the new accessories do feature some official ingress-protection, fast-pairing and single-bud use.

The WH-XB910Ns are the latest wireless headphones from the audio giant Sony. They are also the newest accessories to bear the brand's EXTRA BASS trademark, rated for what it says on the tin. The new over-ears are also equipped with digital noise cancellation, 360 Reality Audio and voice assistant support.

The new and limited edition of Apple's Beats Studio 3 headphones sports an unusual color design, but from a technical point of view this fashionable pair of noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones should be similar to previous versions.

Xiaomi has introduced a new product called the True Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones 3 Pro today (September 27, 2021). This lengthy title covers a lot of what these new AirPod clones offer, although there is even more besides. They include IP55 ingress protection, up to 33 hours of use between charges and a new audio codec for "HiFi" sound.

Amazon has announced that it will hold an event that may unveil some new products. This launch, scheduled for later in September 2021, might see a debut for a new, wall-mounted variant of the OEM's Echo smart-speaker line. Amazon is now also rumored to unveil a Home Robot, which may or may not elaborate on the Echo Show 10's abilities with added independent movement.

Smart glasses is a category that includes pairs that incorporate a mic and speakers. The prospect might sound attractive, but might involve a pricey pair that could involve a prescription on top of that in some cases. Now, JLab Audio has developed a product slated to bring the same functions to any pre-existing glasses at a fraction of the typical price.

Even though Apple is still expected to hold a keynote event to present new MacBooks in a few weeks, some analysts are already looking ahead to next year and share their expectations for two anticipated new Apple products.

Hisense representatives have attended the 2021 Global Laser Display Industry Forum in Beijing, China to expound its success in making and selling laser TVs. The OEM now claims to have increased their shipping volumes even more in 2021 thus far. Therefore, it asserts that the display type is poised to take over the market.

The sub-US$130 Minor III TWS earbuds are now available for purchase and feature Bluetooth 5.2 support, Marshall's signature sound delivered by 12 mm custom-tuned drivers, intuitive touch controls, as well as 5 hours of autonomy (25 hours including the four charges provided by the case).

Sony has announced the addition of the Midnight Black Pulse 3D wireless headset to its lineup of official PS5 accessories. The black Pulse 3D headset follows on the heels of the recently released Midnight Black and Cosmic Red DualSense controllers. This latest accessory overhaul could point to a black PlayStation 5 console being on the cards.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is finally getting its eagerly awaited update that will bring with it support for its currently dormant M.2 SSD internal drive bay. The update also includes some other goodies with 3D audio support being added for built-in TV speakers and new UX features and customization options.

VAVA asserts that its latest high-end 4K UHD laser projector can support a home-theater experience without the need for heavy curtains at any time of day. This is due to its 2,500-lumen brightness, not to mention the latest generation of clarity-enhancing ALPD technology. The Chroma has just debuted on Indiegogo, yet has already gone beyond its funding goal.

LG is known for its UltraGear gaming-focused line of monitors; now, it has announced the speaker to match. The OEM claims to have devoted all its audio experience and prowess to optimize this new GP9 variant for communication as well as immersion during gameplay. Therefore, it offers an in-built mic in addition to a "Hi-Fi Quad" DAC and a battery rated for up to 6 hours of use per charge.

Users can create personalized HRTF profiles in a matter of seconds through the Hive software. However, the software is barebones for better or worse to make it easier to use but not without some lacking features.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds series already offer a range of high-end TWS technology. Now, it has emerged that their next generation might come with something besides the usual charging case that keeps them completely untethered during use. It is a new accessory that defeats this purpose somewhat, although the potential use-cases possibly implied by the new design might make up for that.

Sony's new A5000 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as do many premium soundbars these days. However, the OEM also seeks to set this product apart with its in-house Vertical Surround Engine, Sound Field Optimization and S-Force PRO Front Surround technology to help it create a convincing soundscape for any given space.

The Buds Pro are currently the latest TWS earbuds sold by the brand OnePlus. However, according to a new leak, the Buds Z2 will take over in this respect before too long. They are slated to debut alongside a new flagship smartphone variant later in 2021.

LG has introduced a new addition to the XBOOM Bluetooth speaker series to the US market. The new 360 variant's design might make it an ideal fit for the high-tech home. The resulting "conical-cylindrical" form factor is rated for up to 120W of audio power, generated by dedicated drivers rated for a multi-dimensional sound-stage.

Not only has Facebook made its first ever pair of smart glasses official, it has also made them Ray-Bans thanks to a collaboration with this iconic brand. The new wearable device is equipped with speakers for calls and audio, not to mention the cameras necessary for point-of-view video or photos at will. The Stories spectacles are available in certain markets from now.

The Lenovo Smart Wireless Earbuds have been launched with 11mm drivers, six microphones, ANC and IPX4 water resistance. Lenovo promises up to seven hours of battery life with ANC disabled. The earbuds will be available for purchase in Q3 2021.

Redmi has released a teaser for new TWS earbuds that may be pitched at the back-to-school market. Unlike the AirDots 3 line, these Buds 3 have stems, as well as a new square charging case. Nevertheless, a famous leaker asserts the accessories might have something besides looks in common.

Jabra has added not one but three new pairs to its Elite-series of TWS earbuds. Their new flagship, the 7 Pros, feature the OEM's MultiSensor Voice tech for "best-in-class call performance". The buds are joined by the 7 Actives and the 3s, geared towards steadfast fit during workouts and cost-effective audio quality respectively.

Snapdragon Sound is a Qualcomm's audio platform slated to feature in the next generation of audio peripherals from OEMs such as Xiaomi. Its maker has announced that it will support Lossless audio technology, rated to reproduce "CD-quality" audio at a high bitrate.

Bose has launched the latest generation of its QuietComfort line of headphones. The OEM asserts that these new 45s live up to their name with a "lightweight" design, not to mention "world-class" Acoustic Noise Cancelling technology. The new Bluetooth 5.1 accessories will be released in September 2021.

Google may have sparked some dissatisfaction by announcing YouTube Music for wearables, then confirming that it is compatible with smartwatches capable of running the latest Wear OS 3 version only. A mobile security analyst has tried what is probably one of the most effective work-arounds for this potential problem, but ultimately came up unsuccessful in this effort.

Apple has acknowledged that some units from its latest flagship iPhone line have faults in which they cannot emit sound during calls. The OEM has accordingly set up a new service program by which users affected by these issues can send them to office centers to have certain components replaced. It applies to the 12 and 12 Pro variants only.

Panasonic has launched its take on what is often called the "wearable speaker" in 2021. Like some others on the market, the accessory is worn around the neck for "immersive" sound. The OEM is pitching this version - the SoundSlayer WIGSS or SC-GN01 - at gamers, with wired compatibility for consoles such as the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch.

Although Apple remains unsurprisingly silent, a Chinese e-commerce app has apparently spilled the beans on the release date of the next-gen iPhone and third-gen AirPods. According to this source, the handset will drop on September 17 and the headphones will follow on September 30.

Google has reportedly developed an "Assistant Driving Mode", which will supplant Android Auto for Phone Screens with the introduction of the major 12 OS upgrade. Therefore, users with mobile devices that install this OS version will only ever find Auto on their cars' display going forward.

Tronsmart has announced the Studio 30W SoundPulse as its latest wireless speaker. It is rated to cover an open space of up to 10 meters in size with 2.1 channel sound for up to 15 hours per charge. Unlike most portable accessories of this type, it has a housing made of aluminum, yet is still IPX4-rated. It goes for ~US$70, or less with a coupon active at the time of writing.

Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Stereo Headset, a wired alternative to the Xbox Wireless Headset. Bluetooth and batteries are missing from Microsoft's latest headphones, but that has helped keep the price low.

OnePlus' 2020 flagship 8-series have acquired new updates for their version of Android, OxygenOS 11. It upgrades the phones to compatibility with the OEM's latest TWS earbuds, the Buds Pro, now released to the European market. The OTA also adds the latest software tweaks developed for its brand, its new Bitmoji AOD feature included.

Nura has released the Nurabuds, a pair of TWS earbuds that seem fairly unremarkable. However, they are only available with a Nuranow subscription, priced at US$5 per month.

It appears that Bose is on the verge of announcing the QuietComfort 45, its next-generation ANC headphones. The QC45 will launch in two colours for US$329, along with a revised design, USB Type-C charging and up to 24 hours of battery life.

A release date for the M1X MacBook Pro laptops and tidbits about the iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, AirPods 3, iPad mini 6, and ninth-generation iPad have been offered up in Mark Gurman’s latest newsletter. He predicts that Apple will hold multiple virtual events to cover all the upcoming product launches.

Klipsch has announced the T5 II Series True Wireless ANC Earphones, which come in Standard and McLaren Editions. They are rated for Dirac HD-tuned sound and for up to 21 hours of battery life with their USB type-C case. Their new racing-inspired special edition also comes with a "2X" wireless charging pad with NuCurrent technology.

Samsung wrapped its latest Galaxy Unpacked show up with the latest generation of its Galaxy Buds. They offer many of the features found in their immediate Pro predecessors, as well as up to 20 hours of battery life and new colors. However, they also start for less than these high-end TWS peripherals.

The new Mi Mix 4 dominated its product launch today (August 10, 2021); however, this did not stop its maker introducing new ecosystem products to go along with it. The new Xiaomi Sound is a speaker that shares an audio partnership and new wireless technology with its potential phablet companion.

Xiaomi has updated its line of smart TVs today (August 10, 2021) with new OLED-enabled models. This comes with an ultra-high contrast ratio, HDR10+ and "True 10-bit" color on the new 6-series. For those in need of even more premium specs, the new Mi TV OLED 77 model has Harman Kardon-tuned speakers, high-wattage speakers and a new spec in common with the Mi Mix 4.

Logitech has developed its first set of TWS earphones targeted at the growing work from home market. The new Logitech Zone TWS earphones can also simultaneously pair to a smartphone and a computer.

A young Indian man has died from a suspected cardiac arrest following a device explosion while using his Bluetooth earphones. Conflicting reports about the incident have started appearing; however, it seems the fatal earphones blast could have been down to a devastating combination of shoddy manufacturing and a possible power surge.

Samsung is all but certain to unveil the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold on August 11, 2021. However, new leaks from well-known sources purport to spoil this event with full-scale specs for the ultra-premium device. They purport to outline the Z Fold3 in every detail, from its connectivity options to more specific display and camera resolutions.

Samsung may not have announced the Galaxy Buds 2 yet, but someone has already purchased a pair. Separately, product slides for the upcoming TWS earbuds have been published by WalkingCat, which outline their battery life and auto-switching between Samsung devices, among other details.

Honor has launched 2 new products today (August 5, 2021): a new pair of TWS earbuds and a smartphone. The Play 5T Pro has a 6.6-inch display, driven by a MediaTek processor, and a larger battery compared to the existing Play 5. Similarly, the Earbuds 2 Lite are rated for up to 32 hours of use on a single charge, and for active noise cancellation (ANC).

The TONE FREE DFP8Ws (or FP8s) are the latest generation of LG TWS earbuds that come with their own UV-emitting charging case for an "auto-cleaning" feature. The OEM has announced pricing and availability for these allegedly bacteria-repelling accessories in the US. They will also soon be joined there by new FP9 and FP5 variants.

Fans of high-end TWS earphones with active noise cancelling now have a new choice. Bang & Olufsen has launched the Beoplay EQ which are the first TWS earphones from the company to feature ANC coupled with its signature premium sound.